Answer to Question #1824 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Policy, Guidelines, and Regulations

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Is there a written guideline concerning the proper method of ensuring lead-shield integrity? Should the shielding devices be x-rayed or fluoroscoped, or is a visual inspection (as I have been told) acceptable? And how often should lead shields be tested for integrity?

Currently there are no standards that establish a criteria for
acceptance or rejection of lead aprons. As discussed in a May 2001
article in Operational Radiation Safety, Vol.80, No. 5, pp. S67-S69, by Kent Lambert, annual inspections of lead aprons are required by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
(JCAHO), 1983. Individual medical facilities establish their own
rejection criteria based on their internal procedures and criteria. For
further information, I would recommend reading the article cited above,
as well as contacting JCAHO or the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) who may be able to provide you with additional information.

Cynthia G. Jones, PhD

Senior Assistant for Materials US NRC

Answer posted on April 18, 2002. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.